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A review by holtfan
Bespelling Jane Austen: Almost Persuaded\\Northanger Castle\\Blood and Prejudice\\Little to Hex Her by Susan Krinard, Janet Mullany, Mary Balogh, Colleen Gleason
1.0
What I saw: Jane Austen and paranormal. Sweet!
What I missed: Published by Harlequin. Noooooooooooooooooooo
This collection contains four different retellings of four different Austen novels. I really enjoyed one. I hated the other three.
Almost Persuaded: (aka - Persuasion) 1 star
GOUGE MY EYES OUT WITH A SPOON. Reincarnated soul mates/forbidden lovers. Utterly awful twattle combined with a random sex scene between two people who met maybe 24 or 48 hours earlier. I know the fact that they loved each other in past lives supposedly justifies this, but...
Northanger Castle: (aka - Northanger Abbey) 4 star
I mean, does it hold a candle to the original? Not even close. I still found it an overall fun story. It captures the Gothic vibe of Regency fiction with a modern feel and creates a likable heroine who drags books, garlic, and stakes around in her reticule. Initially I wasn't totally on board with giving the Mr. Tilney-like gentleman the personality of Mr. Rochester, but he eventually won me over. I would almost bump this collection up a star for this piece. But the others were too terrible. Still...I might give this particular story a re-read before I return it to the library.
Blood and Prejudice: (aka - Pride and Prejudice) 1 star
Although it garners one star like Almost Persuaded and Little to Hex Her, I did not feel the same wrath towards this book that I felt towards them. Mostly I felt...underwhelmed. Imagine Mr. Darcy as a vampire, stick him in the 21st century, and you can probably predict how this all goes down. I was considering 2 stars because I did like the characterization of Lizzie, but then she does something extremely stupid and I washed my hands of her. Also the ending was super boring.
Little To Hex Her: (aka - Emma) -5 star
I WANT TO BLEACH MY BRAIN AND FORGET THIS EXISTS.
Emma as a witch who runs a match making agency in D.C.? Yeah!
Except...noooo.
Because this book does not really talk about Emma's match making. It focuses on Emma'slove sex life. In detail.
Way, way, way too much uncomfortable detail.
The possibility for something creative was there but Emma and Knightley were terrible people without an ounce of cuteness to their romance and the whole 'Emma is super powerful but never knew it!' plot line left me confused and irritated. But that might be residual reaction from her one night stand with...not-Knightley. And then with Knightley.
What I missed: Published by Harlequin. Noooooooooooooooooooo
This collection contains four different retellings of four different Austen novels. I really enjoyed one. I hated the other three.
Almost Persuaded: (aka - Persuasion) 1 star
GOUGE MY EYES OUT WITH A SPOON. Reincarnated soul mates/forbidden lovers. Utterly awful twattle combined with a random sex scene between two people who met maybe 24 or 48 hours earlier. I know the fact that they loved each other in past lives supposedly justifies this, but...
Northanger Castle: (aka - Northanger Abbey) 4 star
I mean, does it hold a candle to the original? Not even close. I still found it an overall fun story. It captures the Gothic vibe of Regency fiction with a modern feel and creates a likable heroine who drags books, garlic, and stakes around in her reticule. Initially I wasn't totally on board with giving the Mr. Tilney-like gentleman the personality of Mr. Rochester, but he eventually won me over. I would almost bump this collection up a star for this piece. But the others were too terrible. Still...I might give this particular story a re-read before I return it to the library.
Blood and Prejudice: (aka - Pride and Prejudice) 1 star
Although it garners one star like Almost Persuaded and Little to Hex Her, I did not feel the same wrath towards this book that I felt towards them. Mostly I felt...underwhelmed. Imagine Mr. Darcy as a vampire, stick him in the 21st century, and you can probably predict how this all goes down. I was considering 2 stars because I did like the characterization of Lizzie, but then she does something extremely stupid and I washed my hands of her. Also the ending was super boring.
Little To Hex Her: (aka - Emma) -5 star
I WANT TO BLEACH MY BRAIN AND FORGET THIS EXISTS.
Emma as a witch who runs a match making agency in D.C.? Yeah!
Except...noooo.
Because this book does not really talk about Emma's match making. It focuses on Emma's
Way, way, way too much uncomfortable detail.
The possibility for something creative was there but Emma and Knightley were terrible people without an ounce of cuteness to their romance and the whole 'Emma is super powerful but never knew it!' plot line left me confused and irritated. But that might be residual reaction from her one night stand with...not-Knightley. And then with Knightley.